What can we reason but from what we know? -Alexander Pope
What can we reason but from what we know? -Alexander Pope
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While tromping around downtown Los Angeles during a weekend conference, we discovered some artists hard at work on several unique multi-story advertising panels. From upcoming movies to automobiles to popular restaurant chains, the ads were amazing works of art, spray painted onto the exterior walls of various hotels and other buildings. In the last several months, the city of Los Angeles had taken the property owners to task for advertising that did not meet city-established guidelines. A munic...
Coffee is best “done” with others, conversation and fellowship combining with the ritual of sharing to create moments in which our lives intersect with others in mostly positive ways. According to www.coffeeresearch.org, 54 percent of the United States population drink coffee regularly (over three cups per day) while another 25 percent drink it occasionally. Overall, daily per capita consumption of coffee in the U.S. is 1.9 cups for men and 1.4 cups for women. I pretty much like my coffee simple...
Recently, I caught a portion of a 1950’s era war movie in which patriotic stereotypes ran true throughout. The leading men were impossibly handsome, unimpeachable leaders of lesser known though respectful soldiers who, by the end of the film, had been molded into inspiring heroes. The women were courageous and beautiful, stoically supporting the work of the nation on the domestic front as well as in factories. The authority of both government and military branches to act in our best interest w...
After losing two long-time canine buddies last year, we were reluctant to jump back into a new puppy situation. It wasn’t that we didn’t care for the companionship. It was about having to once again go through the painful stages of adapting a pup to the place, establishing pack rules, setting boundaries (including behavior around the cats) and then having the patience to stick it out. In the back of our minds exists the perfectly well-behaved dog, one that rarely needs correcting and who doe...
It’s hard to wait. If we’re not connected when and where we think we ought to be, then we become selfishly impatient. We’ve come by it honestly through worldwide merchandisers as they ply their trade to the masses. Overnight deliveries are becoming the standard and consistent same day delivery is just around the corner. Anywhere a line forms, the potential for annoyance and irritation exists. We are taught that we shouldn’t have to wait, that squeaky wheels get the grease, and that if we must...
The need for speed Gotta have it, must get it, and oh, what’s next? Where would we be without our favorite technology to flout or the latest shiny must-have gizmo to show off? Millions are made forecasting and projecting what the near future holds. We don’t want to let anything get in our way in the marketplace where time is money and money is God. Ingenuity and necessity are prime movers, a not altogether bad combination. Each drives the other. The potential to produce something astounding is...
Every generation faces its own self to a lesser or greater degree. We are living in a time of reckoning on many levels. This is one of those moments when it is helpful to be clear, to offer lucidity in the midst of chaos and hope beyond isolation. It is easy to declare the world broken. It is quite another thing to aspire beyond this place and this time, and to continue the hard work of being human in spite of ourselves. We like to fix things. We live in a culture capable of many things and we...
Mother Nature continues to wreak havoc on the spring sports schedules, with more track meets and baseball games canceled last week. However, a number of contests were able to go on as scheduled, even if conditions were less than ideal. Fort Morgan ran its mark to 4-0 with three victories last week. The Mustangs dominated Niwot 14-6 last Tuesday, overcoming an early 2-0 hole. They were the beneficiary of 18 walks by Cougar pitchers. That was followed up by a pair of 1-0 wins, the first over the...
Sometimes the hardest things to find are right in front of our eyes. Even up close we may not be able to discern everything we need or would like to know. But with a little patience and a positive learning environment it is surprising how easily things can fall into place. Being a good observer is at the core of discernment. Without observation there is little basis for well-informed conclusions, something we all have experienced firsthand in recent times. I am an admitted rock-picker-upper...
The challenges we face today in this moment and in this time are historic. Angles from many stories compete with truth which is buried deep within the debris of our collective souls. Answers come sparingly, if at all, as the sharp edge of the pendulum sweeps ever closer. What shall be our role in the ongoing catastrophe that is war? Each person must decide for themself. Many responses reflect the deep heartfelt compassion that accompanied Christ and a resulting determination to rebuild a better...
There is a surreal quality to the events of this past week when Russia invaded Ukraine. In the past we might have dismissed it as a distant and largely forgettable concern. The world has since changed, embracing perspectives that have come about through the marvels of modern communications on a variety of platforms. No longer can rats scurry to the dark corners of the room; cell phones, texting and social networking have all contributed to fresh light and a new dawn of accountability where...
It is once again time for gardeners to wake from their wintry slumber and purposefully step into that spring rite known as planting season. Plastic trays, peat pots, mulch and soil amendments are all part of the conversations which, once started, can become all-consuming. A growing stack of seed catalogs attests to the urgency of the matter. This is known as the horticulturalist’s “everything is possible” stage and woe to those who give it short shrift. When did it get to be so involved? For y...
Certain objects or collections of objects we encounter in life are valuable on their face, objective representations that stand on their own merits. Subjective value runs a little deeper and is less certain. If it is true that beauty is found in the eye of the beholder, why do we so casually dismiss others’ understandings of how the world operates? It would seem that we are left with many free will choices that have the capacity to either build up or tear down whatever is before us and in us. P...
In these days of excesses — emotions, attitudes, irritations — each person must decide what their line in the sand delineates. Without the openness of saying yes to saying no, to listen instead of talk and to favor compassion over invective, the church and modern society might well be relegated once again to the dark ages. Although the scriptural canon was mostly established over the course of several hundred years, it has since remained largely static, gospel as it were. Only when we say no...
Religious art comes to us in many shapes, sizes, forms and media. Aside from the liturgical holidays of Christmas and Holy Week, one of the most often art-adapted scripture can be found in John 4:5-42. It is the familiar story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well, a sacred writing that brings both the woman and Jesus into unlikely conversation with one another. It is often depicted in ways that place Jesus clearly in charge of the chance meeting. Various works underscore the power...
Highlights of this wintery time of year include fiery sunrises and sunsets. Each is unique with its own evocative beauty. Digital images that capture such moments can be difficult to distinguish morning sky from evening. Years from now when we are a mere afterthought of future generations, a cache of old thumb drives might be found in our attic that would lead researchers to conclude that whatever else could be said of our generations, they sure did enjoy their sunrises and sunsets. One could im...
An important factor when coming to equilibrium in one’s faith is the need to recognize that we simply do not know all there is to know about the Divine. It’s easy to proclaim otherwise because people respond quite well when they are given the black or white choices we favor in life. No fence riding here. It’s either right or wrong with little left to the imagination, even when well-founded. In recent decades the literal Word and its myriad interpretations has become a standard bearer for many....
The origin of New Year’s resolutions is uncertain though many sources note their presence during the rise of Babylonia some four thousand years ago. They became ritualized and persist to this day in various forms. Most are common declarations to improve one’s health, usually by losing weight or adopting some sort of fitness regimen. Others encourage us to shed poor habits of behavior. But there is more to it than that. Resolutions reflect the heart and soul of who we imagine or desire our...
Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve share common ties in heralding the advent of something new and wonderful, something beyond egoistic self-interest. Elements of faith - peace, hope, love and joy — are center stage during the season of Advent. It is a time for reflection and introspection as well as an opportunity to grow our faith in significant ways beyond the trappings of the holidays. It is a time for deep friendship with those who actively wrestle with the many accoutrements of faith tha...
As we make our way haltingly through life there are but a few things that have accompanied us in the long haul. One case in point is a stalwart bit of greenery that has quietly bided its time with us for better than forty years. It was given to us by a previous owner who had nurtured and cared for it untold years prior to its adoption by us. It has determinedly gone about its business, as we have ours, shouldering the vagaries of life and living. It is a hoya plant with long trailing shoots and...
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not let them be afraid. John 14:27 (NRSV) Most of us are familiar with the Lukan narrative of the Christmas Story. It is the most widely read scripture during the season of Advent. Because of its familiarity, it is often accepted without further thought as an indelible part of the holiday landscape. Calming words for a stress-filled world. Yet surrounding Luke and...
A small independent college, Trinity School of Durham and Chapel Hill, lists as one of its educational values ‘unhurried excellence’ according to a recent article from Alban at Duke Divinity School. Alban asks how we can build “unhurriedness” into our schedules, particularly during the season of Advent, noting that we sometimes confuse being busy with getting things done. It is true for individual businesses as much as it is for churches. The implications are real for nearly every aspect...
Much of the work we undertake as individuals and businesses is to identify logical next steps in the work that we do, or at least be aware of them in order to make informed and helpful decisions. Most of the time it is to our advantage, but not always. There are times when simply being in one place is all we need to know or can do. In other moments we choose to forge ahead in hopes of something bigger or better. That is not all bad, certainly, but we often lack patience by wanting everything to...
The leaves on the gambel oak are some of the last to go. They stubbornly hang on through rain and freezing weather, even after turning. They are testament to the toughness of the plant in general … drought tolerant, insect resistant, cold hardy and able to recover from mower blight over the years. Gambel oak are seemingly indestructible when compared to other landscaping. Also known as scrub oak, they are normally found at higher elevations and can be discovered among the rocks and cliffs of t...
As people of faith, we like to imagine that there is a template we can engage that represents our best hope and understanding of this divine dance to which we have graciously been invited. Austere organizational structures are embraced so that we can build off the work of our forebears, adding to our present day knowledge as well as contributing to the religious foundations of tomorrow. Some do well with a strict formulaic structure that includes counting numbers as the mandate of the Great...
